Leap Into This Leap Year with 29 Fun Facts About Bananas

Leap Year is upon us, and Leap Day, February 29 Organics Unlimited would like to present you with 29 interesting and fun facts you may not have known about bananas. Did you know that the average American consumes over 28 lbs of bananas each year? It's true!

Read on for 28 more banana facts:

1. One of the quickest ways to cure a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey.  The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system

2. Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief

3. Wild bananas originated in Asia and have been cultivated for more than 4,000 years

4. Bananas are great for athletic and fitness activity because they replenish necessary carbohydrates, glycogen and body fluids burned during exercise

5. Did you know bananas float in water?

6. On each stem, ten or more bananas growing together are called "hands" and a single banana is called a "finger." Four to six bananas sold in the retail store are called a "cluster."

7. Eating a banana can cheer you up. Bananas are the only fruit to contain the amino acid, tryptophan plus Vitamin B6 which together help the body produce seratonin, the natural chemical which alleviates mental depression (It's also found in Prozac), that's why we call them "nature's good mood food."

8. Bananas love a tropical climate but they are even grown in Iceland, in soil heated by geysers.

9. Bananas are one of the few foods to contain the 6 major vitamin groups. Perhaps the reason bananas are so nutritious is because the banana plant is in fact a giant herb.

10. Bananas got their name from "banan," the Arab word for finger

11. Bananas are one of the few fruit that keep ripening after they're picked, which is why they're harvested when they're green

12. The banana peel contains the finest natural lubricant known to man. In fact, it can substitute as a polishing rag for leather shoes

13. Brisbane holds the world record for the longest banana split ever made: a giant 7.3 kilometres long!

14. There are over 500 different types of bananas. That means if you ate a different kind of banana everyday, it would take almost a year and a half to eat every one! 

15. As bananas ripen, the starch in the fruit turns to sugar. Therefore, the riper the banana, the sweeter it will taste

16. Bananas were officially introduced to the American public at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition. Each banana was wrapped in foil and sold for 10 cents. Before that time, bananas came to America on the decks of sailing ships as sailors took a few stems home after traveling in the Caribbean

17. In 2001, there were more than 300 banana-related accidents in Britain, most involving people slipping on skins

18. In Eastern Africa, you can buy beer that is brewed with bananas

19. In the 15th and 16th centuries, Europeans knew the banana as the "Indian Fig"

20. The phrase ‘going bananas’ was first recorded in the Oxford English Dictionary and is linked to the fruit’s comic connections with monkeys

21. To avoid those strings, peel the banana from the bottom up. The strings are called phloem (pronounced FLOM). They help distribute nutrients to every part of the growing bananas

22. The scientific name for banana is musa sapientum, which means "fruit of the wise men"

23. India is by far the world's largest producer of bananas, growing 16.5 million tons in 2002, followed by Brazil which produced 6.5 million tons of bananas in 2002

24. Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

25. Plantains are a type of banana that are not as sweet and are usually cooked. While not as commonly eaten in the US, plantains are a dietary staple in many tropical regions

26. About 50 percent of people who are allergic to latex are often also allergic to bananas

27. The song "Yes, We Have No Bananas" was released in 1923 and became a huge hit. It refers to the banana shortage at the time

28. Scientists are trying to develop a hybrid, disease-resistant banana

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Quality Alternatives for Bananas

"Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction, and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives.” – William A. Foster.

Providing quality to your consumers doesn’t just lie in the edible uses of your product. Supplying your customers with a quality product while educating them on the many alternative uses and health benefits can increase over sales and help improve the quality of merchandising as we stated last week.

Here are just a few helpful tips you can give consumers:

Banana Face Mask

• Bananas are all natural and can moisturize the skin making it feel softer
• Use a medium-sized ripe banana and mash it into a smooth paste, apply, and let it sit for 10-20 minutes. Rinse off with cold water and feel the difference!

Bananas at any Temperature

• On those hot summer days, turn your bananas into a popsicle
• Cut four ripe bananas in half, stick a wooden popsicle stick into the ends, place them on a piece of wax paper, and freeze for a few hours
• Dip your frozen bananas in melted chocolate or caramel for added flavor

Let Your Silverware and Shoes Shine

• Using banana peels is a great way to shine up your silverware or leather shoes if you're in a bind
• Remove any foreign contaminants from the objects you wish to polish, and then rub the inside of the peel to buff out your dull items
• Wipe down with a paper towel or soft cloth to finish it off
• Bananas can also be used to restore leather furniture in the same way. (Be sure to test a portion before you take on a whole chair or couch.)

Fertilize or Mulch with Organic Bananas

• Banana peels are just as rich in potassium as the edible fruit itself - this nutrient can be used for any garden
• Utilizing organic bananas as fertilizer is a must for anyone who wants to begin an organic garden
• Dry out the peels during the winter and by early spring grind them up in a food processor or blender to use as mulch
• This helps plants get a fresh healthy, quality, start to their lives in the new year

For more tips on alternative ways to utilize bananas, including how to tenderize a roast, brighten up houseplants, deter aphids, and more, check out Reader's Digest!

Let us know if you have more you'd like to share!

• The above quote by William A. Foster was submitted to Organics Unlimited by one of our Facebook fans, Irvin Alcides Rodríguez, who will be receiving a prize for his entry! We’re still looking for more quotes about quality. Submit yours by the end of the week for your chance to win!

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Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @OUBananas and on Facebook! 

Source: Reader's Digest

The Many Layers of Quality

Quality begins with the growing process, but in order to ensure that it is kept to the fullest, quality must be maintained all the way through merchandising in retail outlets. Cap displays lay the foundation for sales and the store’s reputation. It's simple: If a display is less than exemplary, a consumer will most likely not purchase the product. Although bananas pretty much sell themselves, putting a little extra effort to increase the quality of your merchandising will surprisingly return the favor. Continue reading after the jump.

Banana Production Going Strong During Winter

Winter is a difficult time for banana crops. Banana plants are tropical and thrive in warm climates. When temperatures drop, growers from Mexico and South America experience slower production rates, which leads to banana shortages and higher prices for consumers.

Here at Organics Unlimited, we do not consider this a major threat. Despite cooler conditions, we continue to provide quality bananas from our well-prepared farms in Ecuador and Mexico.

We will be shipping out healthy bananas to our retailers in the U.S. The Ecuadorian farms are capable of delivering a steady supply, but shipments take longer to arrive due to the greater distance traveled. Through these cooler winter months, we will continue to provide consumers and retailers with quality bananas.

Don’t forget that we have started our weekly contest promoting ‘quality’ and encourage everyone to participate. Post your quality quotes on our Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn accounts. Remember, each week a quote will be chosen and mentioned on our blog, and the winner will receive a prize. Stay connected to Organics Unlimited by following us on Twitter and become a fan of us on Facebook!

Buying Organic + Contest!

There are a variety of reasons consumers choose organic over conventional produce. However, a number of consumers avoid organic bananas because of misconceptions about the organic industry and growing practices. Here at Organics Unlimited, we want to inform your consumers about the hard facts; you do not sacrifice quality when you buy organic over conventional bananas.
Here are just a few benefits of buying organic:
Environment:
An important reason to buy organic bananas is for the environmental benefits. According to USDA guidelines, organic farming practices reduce pollution, conserve water and preserve soil. Also, organic growing practices do not release synthetic pesticides into the soil. Pesticides and herbicides used in the growing of conventional bananas seep into the soil and groundwater, and can harm wildlife, affect biodiversity, and disrupt local ecosystems.

Health:
Many people choose organic foods to avoid risks associated with pesticides and other chemicals that are used in conventional farming. Research shows that organic diets lower exposure to pesticides.
Conventional bananas are grown with synthetic fertilizers, insecticides and herbicides to protect the crops from mold, insects and disease. Organic farmers use natural fertilizers and weed by hand or mulch in order to prevent weeds.
Many believe that because of its protective skin, all toxins and chemicals cannot penetrate the meat of the banana. However, there is strong evidence showing that chemicals and pesticides do leach into the soil, and into the actual fruit.
Aesthetics:
Many consumers are frightened by organic bananas because of the myth that they are less attractive. Shoppers expect organic bananas to be bruised, damaged, and not uniform in size, shape or color. The truth is, organic bananas can look as good, if not better than conventionally grown bananas. It all boils down to how the bananas are physically handled and transported.
Contest:
Starting this week, Organics Unlimited will host a weekly contest promoting ‘quality’ and will be encouraging everyone to participate. During February, Organics Unlimited will be asking for quotes through Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn about ‘quality’ that inspires fans. Each week, a quote will be chosen and mentioned on our blog, and the winner will receive a prize the following week. Stay connected to Organics Unlimited by following us on Twitter, and become a fan of us on Facebook!

Increase Sales through Merchandising

Bananas are the most frequently purchased fruit in the U.S. however there is always room for retailers to increase sales through strategic planning. Organized displays and cross- merchandising can lay a solid foundation for a store’s produce reputation. Retailers are always looking for a way to boost sales, and in this economy, consumers are looking for exciting and affordable ways to satisfy their palate.

It’s been said that we eat with our eyes first. In the produce world, consumers shop with their eyes first. We’ve all seen displays where banana hands are contorted, bruised, and stacked on top of each other haphazardly. An ample, quality display is the first step in maximizing consistent sales and impulse buys. As with most food items, banana displays should be clean and aesthetically appealing. This not only ensures catching your shoppers’ attention, but also protects the overall quality of the bananas.

Another way to increase banana sales and sales of related products is incorporating a cross merchandising program. Bananas can aid in selling other items around the store. Cross merchandise bananas with:

• Muesli and Oatmeal
• Other Fruits for Smoothies
• Chocolate Dips
• Cake / Pie Mixes and Supplies
• Salads
• Ice Cream

Retailers with a well-planned banana merchandising program highlight the quality and versatility of this wonder fruit. Bananas are a great value in the produce department, and through cross merchandising and proper display techniques, consumers and retailers can both benefit.

What are your thoughts on bananas and cross merchandising? Leave your feedback and ideas below!

iTrade & Organics Unlimited

The iTradeNetwork is a global provider of on-demand supply chain management and intelligence solutions for the foodservice industry. ITN's collaborative solutions allow distributors, manufacturers, operators and retailers to easily and effectively conduct business.

ITN gives food service corporations clarity and control over supply chain processes. They follow a source, supply, and measure methodology which allows customers to achieve results that meet their objectives.

Starting with “Source,” ITN uses tools like e-tenders, auctions and contract management to ensure the right products from the best suppliers are selected. With “Supply,” ITN’s services enable the management of freight and logistics, place orders, and even pay invoices. Finally with “Measure,” ITN collects, normalizes and enriches information and applies analytic solutions so that customers can improve price and purchase compliance, identify new contract opportunities, monitor supplier performance, and identify new revenue generating opportunities.

Organics Unlimited is a member of iTrade, and for customers who are also ITN members, this is a convenient way to conduct business with us. ITN allows for the direct purchasing of produce which saves retailers time and money.